Feed-indicator for valves.



EDG-AR R. MACBE'II-I, 0F BRAZIL, INDIANA.

FEED-INDICATOR FOR VALVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Application filed July 19, 1911. Serial No. 639,386.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDGAR R. MACBETH, a citizen of the United States, resident of Brazil, in the county of Clay and State of Indiana, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Feed-Indicators for Valves; and I declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

Figure 1 is a side view of the invention as app-lied with the positions of parts when turned shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the invention as applied with the valve stem in section. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the movable indicator member. Fig. t is a side view of a modified form of indicator as applied, showing the scale and the movable indicator member carried by a fixed part of the valve.

The invention relates to feed indicators for valves, having for its object to provide such an indicator, preferably capable of be ing applied to ordinary valves in use, as an attachment therefor, to enable the engineer or person in charge of the valve to set the indicator so that in operation the valve will open to a predetermined degree, when it will be stopped against further opening, thus accurately regulating the amount of material passing through the valve in a given time, avoiding waste of material and other objectionable results consequent upon a feed larger or smaller than that needed.

AThe invention consists in the novel construct-ion and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings.l illustrating the invention, the numeral l designates an ordinary globe valve and 2 one member of my indicator carried by a stationary part of the valve, preferably by the packing nut 3, and having extension radially outward therefrom, this member being stationary or fixed against movement with said nut and being preferably made in one piece wit-h a clamping band 2a surrounding said nut and provided with a clamp nut 2b.

4L designates the other member of my indicator, which is carried by a movable part of the valve, preferably by the stem 5, and having an extension radially outward therefrom, this member moving with the valve stem when turned to open the valve and constituting the movable indicator member. This movable member when the valve stem is turned to close the valve has the extension preferably in the opposite direction to that of the fixed member, and the main part thereof is made also preferably in one piece, with a clamping band la surrounding the valve stem and provided with a clamp nut 4b.

The indicator member, the main part of which is approximately of the same length as that of the fixed member, is provided with a hinged end portion or arm 8, which when turned down is adapted, in the movement of the movable member with the valve stem, to

have stop engagement with the fixed member. In this way, when the valve stem is turned to open the valve, the valve will be stopped against further opening when the stem thereof has made a half turn, or through an arc of 180 degrees. Or in case itis desired to first open the valve a little more than usual, the hinged arm is left up, the valve stem turned past the usual stopping point to open the valve and then turned backward past this stopping point, the hinged arm turned down, and the valve stem turned again to open the valve to the usual degree, when the stop engagement of the two members will take place.

In some cases the valve stem is required to be turned to open the valve one or more times around, and in order to provide an accurate register of the number of times around the valve stem has been turned, I provide the fixed member of the device with a vertically arranged series of graduations 9, these graduations being suitably marked in an ascending series from below upward. Thus as shown when the valve stem is to be turned one and one-half times around to open the valve, the hinged arm of the movable member is left up until a full rotation of the valve stem is made, when it is turned' down and will at the end of the next half rotation have stop engagement with the fixed member to stop further opening of the valve and at the same time indicate upon the scale the number of turns that have been made by the registration of the lower end of the hinged arm with the proper graduation upon the scale.

When the valve stem is to be turned two and one-half times around to open the valve more completely, two complete turns of the valve stem are first made, when the hinged arm is turned down and will at the end of the next half turn have stop engagement with the fixed member to prevent further opening of the valve and at the same time indicate upon the scale by the registration of the lower end of the hinged arm (which has been raised higher by the additional turn of the valve screw-stem) with the next higher graduation of the scale, the number of turns that have been made. And so on in order, any number of turns within certain limits may be registered upon the scale and further opening of the valve prevented. Or in case the movable member of the device has extension in the same direction as the fixed member when the valve is closed, the valve may be stopped against further opening at the end of one or more complete turns.

rIhe invention is capable of adjustment upon the valve to provide for `a stop engagement of the two members when the valve stem has been turned to open the valve any fractional part of a full turn; or one or more full turns and a fractional part of a full turn; or one or more full turns without the fractional variation. This adjustment is effected by the angular radial adjustment of the one member with relation to the other upon the fixed and movable parts of the valve, and preferably by adjustment of the movable member, the adjustment being fixed when completed by the clamp nut Alb.

The fixed member of the indicator may be provided with the hinged end portion or arm, marked 8a, and the movable member provided with the scale graduations 9a, as shown in Fig. 4L of the drawings.

The invention is capable of easy application as an attachment to any ordinary valve, is of simple and durable nature, and may be readily adjusted to suit different requirements.

In some cases it is desirable to provide a stop for the hinged ar-m 8, when it is turned at right angles to its carrier. This stop may be conveniently made by striking a lug l0 from the metal of the member 4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A feed indicator for valves, comprising a movable member adapted to be secured to a movable part of the valve, a fixed member adapted to be secured to a fixed part of the valve, one of said members having a vertical plane surface bearing a series of vertically spaced graduations, and a hinged arm upon the other of said members, having a vertical plane surface adapted for stop engagement with the plane surface of the other member when the valve has been opened to a predetermined extent, and capable of being turned out of the way of the other member, said arm being adapted to have close engagement with and indicate upon said scale the extent of movement of the valve.

2. A feed indicator for valves, comprising a movable member adapted to be se* cured to a movable part of the valve, a fixed member adapted to be secured to a fixed part of the valve and having a vertical plane surface bearing a series of vertically spaced graduations, and a hinged arm upon said movable member having a vertical plane surface adapted for stop engagement with the plane surface of the fixed member when the valve has been opened to a predetermined extent, and capable of being turned out of the way of the fixed member, said arm being adapted to have close engagement with and indicate upon said scale the extent of movement of the valve.

3. A feed indicator for valves, comprising a movable member adapted to be se cured to a movable part of the valve, a fixed member adapted to be secured to a fixed part of the valve and having a vertical plane surface bearing a series of vertically spaced graduations, and a hinged arm upon said movable member, normally at right angles thereto anid having a vertical plane surface having stop engagement with the plane surface of the fixed member when the valve has been opened to a predetermined extent, and capable of being turned out of the way of the fixed member, said arm being adapted to have close engagement with and indicate upon said scale the extent of movement of the valve, and a stop upon the fixed member for said hinged arm when turned at right angles.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR R. MACBETH. lVitnesses:

MATTHEW A. JONES, JOHN W. PLUMB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

